While it's far more valuable as an entry into the Portal series than a Steam Deck tutorial, Aperture Desk Job ably accomplishes everything it sets out to do.
Sucker for Love: First Date is an impressive visual novel that ably balances its horror and comedy, providing a unique take on the Cthulhu mythos you're unlikely to see anywhere else.
Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town is the most barebones of a farming simulator. While updates have been promised to fix the technical issues and inject some life into it, it's not worth playing in its current state.
The switch to a new genre doesn't always benefit its combat, but everything done to recapture Persona 5 works splendidly, from the writing to the music and visual design. This is the first ancillary Persona title to feel like a proper sequel rather than just a spin-off.
I don't know if Richard's advice works, but that's beside the point. Less important than its efficacy is the fact that it's manipulative, sleazy and degrading.
The Medium doesn't revolutionize the horror genre, but it's a compelling entry that's worth checking out.
Cyberpunk 2077 is a great timewaster filled with plenty of opportunities for dumb fun that come from the clever implementation of future tech into its combat. Unfortunately, it fails to deliver on the clear ambition in its writing, mostly due to the clutter that drowns out its few moments of true inspiration.
While it may struggle to hold a solo player's interest, Phogs! is a fantastically delightful and easygoing co-operative experience.
Five Dates is a clever dating sim that does a lot of things right to stand out from the crowd, but unfortunately ends early enough that it can't leave much of a lasting impression.
Paradise Killer may not be for everybody, but by focusing so singularly on one niche aspect of games, it makes detective work more engaging and memorable than any other game of its kind.
Deadly Premonition 2 is a competent sequel that comes close to reaching the heights of the original, but falls short due to sloppy gameplay, technical issues and an unwillingness to stray too far from its comfort zone.
Battle for Bikini Bottom isn’t an exemplary 3D platformer in and of itself, but it’s above average for licensed games and its clear passion for the SpongeBob property sets it apart. The Rehydrated remaster is a wonderfully accurate port that makes it accessible for old and new fans alike.
The Dread X Collection is unique and worthwhile, offering ten different indie horror games. Your mileage may vary with each one, but you're likely to fall in love with at least one of the games here, and it may even lead you to finding a favourite new indie developer to keep an eye on.
Everything Persona 5 Royal adds is a boon to the experience but, unfortunately, it’s not enough to fix the deeply-embedded issues at the heart of the original game.
If you’re looking for a John Wick game, John Wick Hex probably won’t satisfy you. However, if you’re happy with a tight, smart turn-based strategy game whose main character happens to look a lot like John Wick, this is exactly what you’re looking for.
XCOM: Chimera Squad is a great spinoff of Firaxis’ modern XCOM series, bringing with it enough changes to stand on its own. Unfortunately, the simplification of the formula may turn away series veterans and doesn’t give it the same lasting appeal as the other games in the series.
Convoy is a solid tactical roguelike. While it doesn't offer much to make it stand out from the pack, and the repetitiveness doesn't give it the staying power of the genre's best entries, it is a fun distraction for people looking to switch things up from FTL.
The Complex is a decent little sci-fi flick, but its interactive elements only encourage you to dig deeper into a story and a gimmick that can’t withstand any real scrutiny.
Dead or School is a surprisingly fun, polished hack-and-slash side-scroller with ridiculous fanservice that might turn some people off and a spotty script that struggles to make up for the repetitiveness of the combat.
Ciel Fledge is bursting at the seams with ideas, many of them good, but with so little room for them to breathe, they end up stripped down to their most basic and least satisfying forms.